Operating and locking device for door-supporting members



New.

G. A. SUCKFIELD OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR noon SUPPORTING MEMBERS 2 Sheds-Sheet Filed March 22 1924 NOV. 4

. 1,514,404 G. A. SUCKFIELD OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR noon SUPPORTING MEMBERS Filed March 22 1924 2 Sheets-Shes.

LMAM

GEORGE A. SUCKFIELD, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T PRESSED STEEL GAR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JER- SEY.

OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR DGOB-SUEPORIING MEMBERS.

Application filed March 22, 1824.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonen A. Soonrrnno,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Avalon, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating and Looking Devices for Door-Supporting Members, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway dump cars and particularly to that type of car in which the discharge doors are supported or released by a plurality of connected-members which are movable into and out of supporting positions with the door and has for an object the provision of means for locking said members in their door supporting positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for operating a plurality of discharge door supporting members and for locking these members in their door supporting positions.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railway dump car embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same, the door supporting andlocking mechanism be' ing shown in locked position; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view showing the mechanism in unlocked position and in its door releasing position.

Referring now in detail to the drawings the reference character 1 indicates the side wall of a railwaycar and 2 indicatesthe discharge doors, which are preferably hinged to or adjacent the center sill 3 and having their free edges adjacent the side wall 1. Each of the doors 2 may be made of wood or metal, and constructed in any preferred manner. Each of these doors is provided with strengthening members 4, each of which ispreferably U-shaped in cross section, for the greater part-of its length, and

Serial No. 701,055.

having a horizontal flange 5 which is secured sockets for the reception of a bar or other suitable door closing means. The members 6 are spaced apart and adjacent their upper ends are pivotally connected with bracket members 8, which'are secured to the side wall 1. Each of these members adjacent its lower end is provided with a ledge 9, the upper surface of which is adapted to engage with the lower surface of the outer end portion of one of the members 4, and when in such engagement these members 'will support the door in closed position.

The pivot points of these members 6 are so located that these members will, after they have been moved out of engagement with the members at, move by gravity to their proper door supporting positions. There are two members 6 for each discharge door, which members are spaced apart and when operated, preferably move in opposite directions. Between these members, a stationary member 10 is provided which is secured to the side wall 1, which member is provided with outwardly extending flanges 11, on which a member 12 is slidably mounted.

This member 12 is provided with an open-= ing 13, which is adapted to receive the flanges 11, and when the members are in their operative positions, it will be noted that they will be so interlocked that they will not become accidentally separated and yet free movement of the member 12 relative to the member 10 will be permitted.

The member 12 is provided with a projection 14: on which the inner end portion of links 15 are pivotally mounted, the outer end portion p of each link being pivotally connected with one of the members 6. The

,member 12 is also provided with stop shoulders 17 which are adapted to engage with stop shoulders 16 on the member 10 to prevent the member 12 from moving downwardly an excessive distance. When the stop shoulders 16 are in engagement with the stop shoulders 17, the lower end portion of the member 12 extends some distance below the member 10 and forms a striking block which may be struck by a sledge or other suitable tool to open the door.

The projection 1% of the member 12 on which the inner ends of the links 15 are mounted, is so located that when the members 6 are in their door supporting positions and the stop shoulders 16 and 17 are in engagement with each other as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the axis of the projection will be in a position above line drawn through the center of ti e members connecting the links 15 and the member 6, in other words, the center of the projection is above a straight line drawn through the center of the connections between the links 15 and members 6, thus permitting tree movement of the links 15 and member 12 when the members 6 are being moved to their door releasing positions.

To lock the members 6 in their door supporting positions, a dog 18 is provided which is pivotally mounted in a bracket 19 secured to the side wall 1, which dog is adapted to be moved intov engagement with the member 12 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and which is adapted to be moved out of engagement therewith when the members 6 are to be moved to their door releasing positions. This dog is preferably located above the member 12, and between the members 6 and when it is desired to lock the members 6 in their door supporting positions this dog is swung downwardly so that it Will engage the top surface 20 of the member 12 and will resist any tendency of the member 12 to move upwardly, thus securely locking the members 6 in their door supporting positions.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains that changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts of the mechanism without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dump car, a dischar e door, a plurality of members pivotally mounted on said car, adapted to support said door in its closed position, means for simultaneously moving said members in opposite directions out of their door supporting positions, said means comprising a vertically movable member, and a locking member adapted to engage said vertically movable member for locking said door supporting members in their door supporting positions.

2. In a dump car, a discharge door, memlers movable in opposite directions relative to each other into and out of supporting positions with said d-oor, slidable means for operating said members, and means pivotally mounted on said car adapted to en age said means for locking said members in their door supporting positions.

3. In a dump car, a discharge door, memhers movable in opposite directions relative to each other into and out of supporting positions with said door, means for moving said members simultaneously and means adapted to engage said operating means to lock said members in their door supporting positions.

4. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, means for operating said members, said means comprising a vertically movable member, links connected therewith and with said members and means pivotally mounted on said car adapted to engage said vertically movable member for locking said members in their door supporting positions.

5. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and outof supporting positions with said door, and means for operating said nembers, said means comprising a slidable member and connections there- -from to said door supporting members and means movable into and out of engagement with said slidable member for locking and unlocking said door supporting members.

6, In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, means for operating said members simultaneously, said means comprising a member slidably mounted on said car, and means movable into the path of travel of said slidable member for looking said door supporting members in their door supporting positions.

7, In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of: supporting positions with said door, a slidable member arranged between said members, links operatively connecting said member with said members and means mounted on said car movable into and out of engagement with said member to lock and unlock said members.

8. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and-out o1 supporting positions with said door, and means for operating said members, said means comprising a slidable member, and a member mounted on said car movable into and out of engagement with said slidable member, adapted to lock or unlock said members.

9. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, means for operating said members, said means comprising a vertically movable member arranged between said members, and a member mounted on said car above said vertically movable member adapted to be moved into engagement with said member to lock said members in their door supporting positions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. SUCKFIELD. Witnesses H. W. CARBAUGH, CHAs. A. HURRAY. 

